Footwear with tapered heel, support plate, and impact point measurement methods therefore

Abstract

An article of footwear having a tapered heel in part defining an impact point associated with a padded impact zone which first strikes a surface upon a foot plant and a plate embedded within a sole of the article such that the plate supports the heel of the sole from flexing or collapsing, the impact point positioned anterior a pivot point of the wearer's ankle. In one aspect the plate avoids positioning at a lateral midfoot area of the sole to allow for impact zone padding and promotes avoiding or reducing heel strike forces when walking or running.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A shoe or boot comprising:
 a sole and an upper, said sole having a plate which spans substantially a full width of said sole at a heel and spans a partial width of said sole at a midfoot, said plate defining a lateral void, said sole including padding positioned at the lateral void, said shoe or boot further comprising padding positioned above said plate and having a thickness which increases from a posterior to an anterior of said midfoot, said sole having a posterior-most aspect in contact with a surface with the shoe or boot resting naturally upon the surface, said plate rigidly integrated within said sole and having a plate heel extending posteriorly of the posterior-most aspect. 
 
     
     
       2. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said plate heel is positioned at or adjacent an upper surface of said sole, said plate having a plate forefoot positioned closer to a lower surface of said sole than the upper surface of said sole. 
     
     
       3. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said sole includes a tapered heel defining a heel line, said plate having a plate heel oriented generally parallel to the surface, said heel line angled with respect to said plate heel. 
     
     
       4. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said sole includes an impact point positioned anterior a pivot point associated with an ankle of a foot inserted into said shoe or boot, said impact point being a posterior-most aspect of said sole in contact with a surface when said shoe or boot rests naturally upon the surface. 
     
     
       5. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  wherein said plate is encased within said sole. 
     
     
       6. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  wherein said plate includes a plate slope positioned between a plate heel and a plate forefoot, said plate slope slopes downward from said plate heel and extends longitudinally substantially an entirety of said midfoot of said sole. 
     
     
       7. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said plate includes a plate slope which spans from said heel to adjacent a forefoot of said sole. 
     
     
       8. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said plate includes a plate slope between said plate heel and a plate forefoot, said plate slope extends longitudinally at least one fifth of a total length of said sole. 
     
     
       9. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said plate includes a plate slope, at least a portion of said plate slope is oriented half way between a heel end and a toe end of said sole. 
     
     
       10. The shoe or boot of  claim 1  where said plate includes a plate slope extending longitudinally about one third of a total length of said plate. 
     
     
       11. A shoe or boot comprising:
 a sole and an upper, said sole comprising:
 an impact line being a posterior-most aspect of said sole in contact with a surface when said shoe or boot rests naturally upon the surface, said impact line defining an impact axis; and 
 a plate having a plate heel, a plate slope and a plate forefoot, said plate slope sloping downward from said plate heel at an inflection area, said inflection area positioned at or adjacent said impact axis. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said inflection area is positioned anterior said impact axis. 
     
     
       13. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said inflection area positioned between 18 and 32 percent of the length from said heel end. 
     
     
       14. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said inflection area positioned at least 25 percent of the length from said heel end. 
     
     
       15. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said plate heel having a measure of between 18 and 32 percent of the length. 
     
     
       16. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said impact line positioned between 18 and 32 percent of the length from said heel end. 
     
     
       17. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said plate heel is generally flat and is oriented horizontally and said plate forefoot is generally flat and is oriented horizontally. 
     
     
       18. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said plate has a first maximum length and said plate slope spans a longitudinal distance of a second length, said second length being at least 30% of the first maximum length. 
     
     
       19. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said inflection area positioned at about 27% of the length from said heel end. 
     
     
       20. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said sole has an upper side and a lower side and said plate heel is positioned closer to the upper side of said sole than the lower side of said sole and said plate forefoot is positioned closer to the lower side of said sole than the upper side of said sole. 
     
     
       21. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said plate slope is positioned at or near a medial edge of said sole, said plate defining a lateral void. 
     
     
       22. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said plate forefoot is substantially rigidly connected to said plate heel via said plate slope. 
     
     
       23. The shoe or boot of  claim 11  where said plate slope spans a longitudinal distance of about one third of a total length of said plate. 
     
     
       24. A shoe or boot comprising:
 a sole and an upper, said sole comprising:
 a plate having a plate heel, a plate slope and a plate forefoot, said plate slope sloping downward from said plate heel to said plate forefoot, said plate slope spans a longitudinal distance of about one quarter of a total length of said sole, 
 padding positioned above said plate, said padding having a thickness which increases from a posterior to an anterior of said plate slope; and 
 said plate heel is positioned at or near an upper surface of said sole and said plate forefoot is positioned at or near a lower surface of said sole. 
 
 
     
     
       25. The shoe or boot of  claim 24  where said plate heel is generally flat and oriented horizontally and said plate forefoot is generally flat and oriented horizontally. 
     
     
       26. The shoe or boot of  claim 24  where said sole has a length from a heel end to a toe end, said plate slope sloping downward from said plate heel at an inflection area, said plate slope spans a longitudinal distance of between 23% and 29% of the length of said sole. 
     
     
       27. The shoe or boot of  claim 24  where said plate slope spans a horizontal distance of approximately 30% of a total length of said plate. 
     
     
       28. The shoe or boot of  claim 24  wherein said plate slope defines a lateral void. 
     
     
       29. The shoe or boot of  claim 24  where said plate spans a partial width of said sole at said plate slope, said plate slope oriented at or adjacent a medial edge of said sole. 
     
     
       30. A shoe or boot comprising:
 a sole and an upper, said sole comprising:
 a plate having a plate heel and a plate slope sloping downward from said plate heel, said plate slope spans a partial width of said sole, at least a portion of said plate slope positioned at or near a medial edge of said sole, said plate defining a lateral void; 
 padding positioned at the lateral void; and 
 padding positioned above said plate and having a thickness which increases form a posterior to an anterior of said plate slope. 
 
 
     
     
       31. The shoe or boot of  claim 30  where said sole has an upper side and a lower side, said plate slope extends to a plate forefoot, said plate heel positioned closer to the upper side of said sole than the lower side of said sole, said plate forefoot positioned closer to the lower side of said sole than the upper side of said sole. 
     
     
       32. A shoe or boot comprising:
 a sole; and 
 an upper, 
 the sole having a length between a heel end and a toe end, an upper side and a lower side, 
 the sole having a plate with a plate heel, a plate slope, and a plate forefoot, the plate slope sloping downward form the plate heel to the plate forefoot, 
 the sole having a posterior-most aspect in contact with a surface with the shoe or boot resting naturally upon the surface, 
 the plate heel extending posteriorly of the posterior-most aspect and positioned closer to the upper side of the sole than the lower side of the sole, 
 the plate forefoot positioned closer to the lower side of the sole than the upper side of the sole. 
 
     
     
       33. The shoe or boot of  claim 32  wherein the bottom side of the sole slopes upwardly from the posterior-most aspect to the heel end. 
     
     
       34. The shoe or boot of  claim 32  where at least substantially an entirety of the plate heel extends posteriorly of the posterior-most aspect.